


I've Come To Burn Your Kingdom

by asllapiscu



Series: Ceremonious [6]
Category: Kamen Rider Build
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, F/F, HAROLD THEY'RE LESBIANS, Implied/Referenced Sex, and even that I played around with a bit so, let's go back in time, the only spoilers you'd get from this is just history on Evolt as a character that's really it, this is a lore/backstory build up chapter ohoho, we're all mages now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-02 03:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15787692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asllapiscu/pseuds/asllapiscu
Summary: Haunting visions, the feeling of heat and flames consuming her alive, the history of the world as she knows it - it's all coming to a close. She feels like she's carrying the weight of the world, but she will do whatever it takes to save them all, even if it's with the final breath of life she'll ever take.To receive from the forest, one must give as well. It is her greatest sacrifice.





	I've Come To Burn Your Kingdom

**Author's Note:**

> i took a lot of liberties here but tbf build never gave us that good full lore on Vernage and barely on Evolt outside of him swallowing planets and being part of a Blood clan, so, yeah. I went Out There. this is to fit mage AU canon anyway.
> 
> hope you enjoy bc OOF. this is a Doozy.

_Protect the Forest’s Light_

_For the Light gives us Life_

_And Life gives us Hope_

_The Forest Provides_

_So Long as the Hope Survives_

  


The coronation day had long been coming and she had felt she was ready. She helped continue the prosperity of this kingdom with the help of her people, praying for nothing but their eternal happiness. She would hope to become a queen worthy of their love and support, and a guardian strong enough to protect their way of life. It’s a daunting task, but it’s all she’s ever known.

When she heads to the Forest, she finds the attendants of the coronation lined up by the sides. Each one is kneeling, and at the end, right at the entrance, stood the previous queen. She holds in her hands a box covered in intricate vines and beautifully carved wood. _The Box of the Forest._ The thought causes a stir within her heart, but she does not hesitate or doubt herself as she takes her first step forward.

As the new queen, it is her duty now to protect the box. The source of the Forest’s power, of which gives life to their kingdom and perhaps even the world, if they should go by legend. A difficult task, burdened by the royal family - the first to receive the box’s blessings. She is from a long line of descendants to receive this blessing, the ability to control and cast magic. With that blessing, she will protect the box and her kingdom.

She faces the previous queen and guardian when she finally reaches the entrance. The previous queen, her mother, only offers a warm smile before holding up the box. The attendants behind them all begin to chant the prayers of the Forest, watching as the box begins to glow in golden hues. The box then hovers off her mother’s hands and towards her. Holding out her own hands, the box slowly descends to her. When it stops glowing, her mother steps aside, allowing her entrance into the Forest.

It is time.

With the box in hand, she heads deep inside. To officially be recognized as the box’s next guardian, every new queen must venture into the Forest with the box and reach the clearing in the center. Once there, the new queen must dive into the waters with the box and offer a part of her soul to merge her powers with its own. With that, not only will the new queen be able to control the box, but also be able to protect it.

To protect the Box of the Forest is to protect all life. To ensure their kingdom’s safety, this coronation must be done by every generation of the royal family. It is the only way.

As she ventures further in, the lighting becomes more dim and harder to see. The box, however, begins to glow once more, as if to provide new lighting. A new path shows its way to her through the glow, and she decides to follow it.

While walking, she cannot help but memorize the texture of the box. She caresses it carefully with her fingers, feeling the coolness of the wood yet the box being warm regardless. The vines and the carvings give it a unique feeling, as if the box were alive itself. The kingdom would consider it a ridiculous notion - but she felt differently. She believed the box _is_ alive, and may very well be the very heart of the Forest. With this coronation, she’ll finally learn the truth.

Her feet begin to ache and exhaustion seeps into her joints, but she mustn’t let up. The path is still ahead, if the box’s light is any indication. She’s positive she’s heading in the right direction, and will reach the clearing soon.

She thinks back to her lessons and lectures. Of how important it is to remember how vast the Forest can truly be. Records have never stated an end to the Forest, only a beginning. But her ancestors were the ones who were to discover the box, and be granted its powers. With the box, she will find her way without getting lost, and be able to return just as those before her. She need only trust in it.

Yet as she went on, the pain in her legs only persisted and the fatigue wishes to claim her. She is struggling to continue her path, but she is shocked to find the glow of the box diminishing. Surrounded by darkness, she is unsure what to do next. She attempts to stay calm, steeling herself by chanting the prayer of the Forest, hoping it’ll guide her.

Then, as she opens her eyes, small rays of lights illuminate a path, where at the end she _sees it:_ the clearing. Clutching onto the box, she walks over, relief washing over any fatigue she’s fighting off. Once she reaches the edge of the clearing, she falls to her knees, gasping for breath. The box begins to glow once more, stronger than before, and she nods, knowing what she must do.

Pushing away the pain, she stands back up, and slips right into the water. She holds onto the box tightly, the glow still growing, as she begins her chant.

 

_I Offer My Life_

_In Exchange for Hope_

_So that the Forest May Stay Safe_

 

_I Offer My Soul_

_In Exchange for Light_

_So that the Forest May Provide_

_A More Hopeful Tomorrow_

  


She feels a warmth clasp around her left wrist along with the powers of the box merging with her own. It’s all overwhelming, and for a moment she feels she cannot breathe - until the glow of the box surrounds her. She floats freely in the water, the box still in her hold, as she looks above to the surface, feeling the powers swirl around her. When she feels ready, she heads up for the surface, a new power within her.

Once she reaches the surface, she places the box first on the edge of the clearing before lifting herself up and out of the water. She stays by the edge, letting her legs stay in the water as she looks to her wrist. A golden bangle had appeared, and when she goes to touch it, she notices it and the box glow. Her eyes grow wide for a second before she relaxes with a smile.

The coronation is successful.

  
  


Vernage was her new name to bare, and she held it to a high honor. The kingdom was in joy over their new Queen and Guardian. Fearless but caring, strict but understanding - she wanted to do her best for her people, and follow in her mother’s steed. Pandora was a highly loved Queen, and Vernage could only hope to offer the same love and protection to their kingdom.

When she had returned from her coronation, Vernage left the box of the forest in her chambers. She felt it safest there, as no one’s allowed in her chambers without her accompaniment. Her mother had previously kept it locked away in a chamber deep within their castle, as previous queens had before them; but Vernage felt that was too dangerous.

Eventually, she kept receiving visions night after night, of her kingdom and the forest burning down, and a fearsome dragon behind the destruction. He was after the box, and knew _exactly_ where it was protected before -

Pandora wouldn’t listen to her warnings.

“Dragons have been extinct for years my sweet. You mustn’t worry of such trivial things.”

It was frustrating.

Her visions felt so _real._ She can still remember the licks of fire on her face, the agonizing screams of her citizens, and the wicked grin on the dragon’s face… She’d awake with a start every time, sweat beading on her brow and her nerves on high.  Tears would sting at the corner of her eyes from fear and frustration, but she’d steel herself and merely get out of bed and head for the training grounds of her castle.

Whenever Vernage felt powerless or far too frustrated, she’d insist on practicing her new powers. As guardian of the box now, her magical abilities from before have increased tenfold, and showed greater promise. Pandora was most excited to see where her daughter would take this power, as every queen before seemed to have their own style for magic. Vernage remembers that her mother in particular focused on harnessing her power with defensive and protective spells. The queen before her, Vernage’s grandmother, had chosen to listen to the voice of the forest and control the earth around her - so on and so forth.

Vernage herself is still unsure where her focus will lie. At a young age, she studied mostly healing magic and some offensive spells for protection. She admired her mother’s choice in thinking of the greater picture, of their citizens; but Vernage felt such spells weren’t right for her. They weren’t _right_ for the visions that kept haunting her. She needs magic that will not only heal, but also _keep_ someone _down._ She wonders if such spells existed.

As she fired off another spell towards a dummy, her breathing became heavier and her body shook with exhaustion. She noticed the dimming light of her bangle a few spells ago, but this isn’t enough. She needs to become stronger, she needs to be able to protect her people against fire and creatures and -

“Your Highness,” a voice from behind calls to her and she quickly turns on her heel, her hands already aglow with another spell. But when she recognizes the face, her arms drop, the spell dissipating and her exhaustion slowly slipping away from witnessing the smile alone.

“Beverly,” her voice is low but still laced with an affection that only the other woman has come to known. Vernage’s paranoia and hyperfocus began to calm down as Beverly walked over to her, grabbing at her shoulders.

“You’re overworking yourself again, I see.”

“You have to understand--”

“I do, I do understand,” Beverly’s voice is soft and soothing to her aching muscles and tired soul. She feels Beverly’s hand travel from her shoulders down to her waist to pull her into an embrace. It’s warm and comforting and Vernage feels any lingering fears melt away. “I know more than anyone the worries you carry for your kingdom. But you can’t be working yourself to death, either.”

“Beverly, the visions, they keep coming, no one’s believing me, I have to do _something._ ” Beverly tightens their embrace and Vernage can feel herself shaking. What else is she supposed to do to combat these feelings? Sit idly by? “They have to mean something… I can’t just ignore it…”

“I know love, but I'm concerned,” Beverly’s voice carries that worried tone and Vernage feels guilt for it. “Let’s go back inside. You need rest. I’ll take care of you.”

“Oh will you?” Vernage’s tone is almost playful, trying to cover the fear behind it. But she lets Beverly take her hand and lead her back into the castle. The warmth she feels from holding Beverly’s hand, the feelings that spring in her chest whenever they share small moments like these…

_She must protect it._

  


 

After a while, the visions stopped coming. Vernage found it suspicious, but her mother and her court were more than excited that their queen was getting proper rest again. She’d be able to agree with them, but it felt strange… Her mother kept insisting not to dwell on such matters.

“Your fears will pass soon enough just like those awful dreams.”

But Vernage can’t help but wonder if they ever will? Those dreams haunted her for so long, how easy will it be to simply move on from such a gut wrenching fear? She knows her mother means best, and wants Vernage to focus more on the citizens and the kingdom itself… But something still felt off.

It wasn’t until she was asked audience of a wandering mage that she managed to place the strange feeling. She’d never heard the name Evolt before, but the colors of his robes and his grin upon seeing the queen sent shivers down her spine. Flashes of the dragon from her visions come back to her, and she does her best to keep a neutral face.

“Your Highness, I am Evolt,” his voice is haunting, and so very familiar, as he does a dramatic gesture of a bow. Every single one of her instincts told her to _run,_ but she held her ground. Maybe she’s overreacting, maybe she’s judging too quickly. She stays in her seat, waving for the mage to stand and face her.

“From where do you hail?” Her tone is sharp and demanding. It’s not entirely new; she’d been practicing a more regal and dignified approach for when she’d have to make appearances for audiences. She wishes to be remain approachable, but wants to send the message as well that she isn’t one for games. She hopes this mage will catch on quick.

“From the northeast your highness,” the way he says the title, it almost sounds like he’s _mocking_ her. She narrows her eyes, watching him closely as he sweeps an arm out. “I come seeking your help. I’ve heard from far and wide that your forest holds a tremendous power, all within a box even.”

“It is so,” she says it slowly, still eyeing him.

“Excellent! I’m so glad that the news I’ve heard is correct,” he genuinely looks excited now, his grin growing wider. It nearly causes fear to fester in her heart. “Then, your highness, if I may be so bold, I require some of that tremendous power. You see, my clan has all been but mostly slaughtered. I was sent out on a journey to find some way to prevent the extinction of our clan, as well as means to defend ourselves. I am merely asking for an allegiance.”

His words hold one meaning, but the look in his eyes warn of something else. She’s never seen such intense hunger in one’s eyes before, and that alone made her wary of his proposal. Maybe her court could tell, the anxiety that plagued her, as she feels a hand rest on her shoulder before one of her charges steps forward.

“How can we so plainly trust you?” Vernage takes deep breaths, watching Beverly ask exactly what she’s thinking. She is grateful to have her most trusted knight always by her side, but the way the mage’s eyes shift in expression - her anxiety heightens.

“Oh, bravo! Exactly what I was expecting from such an influential kingdom,” Vernage is sure he’s mocking them at this point. He’s tapping his chin and pacing back and forth, the cape attached to his robe now revealed and Vernage takes an interest on the symbol on it.

_Like some sort of dragon…_

Her eyes widen.

“Evolt, you said? From a clan up northeast? Tell me, what name does your clan go by?”

“Your highness,” Beverly shoots a look at Vernage, but she holds up a hand to signal a halt.

“Curious, _my queen?_ Very well,” Evolt stops pacing by then, Vernaged unsettled by the shift in title. He does another dramatic sweep of his hand, before clasping his cape and exposing it for the entire court to see. With the draconic symbol now clear, Vernage grips the edge of her seat. “I am Evolt of the Blood clan that hails northeast, in the mountains. We are a clan of dragons, the last of our kind.”

The entire court erupt into whispers and hushes as Vernage’s blood runs cold, her visions coming back at full force.

“I come seeking the power from the box of the forest, to restore my clan to its former power. It could be beneficial, if you’d consider. By restoring my clan, you’ll have access to an entire _legion_ of dragons at your disposal, should war ever break out.”

“Are you mad?” Beverly starts to step forward but Vernage grabs her wrist. She pulls her back, choosing to ignore Beverly’s looks of concern as Vernage walks closer to Evolt. She can feel the entire court’s eyes on her, as she stops with considerable distance still between her and Evolt.

“Then what? You’ll destroy my kingdom?” Vernage’s voice is cold, as Evolt’s eyes widen before he erupts into a loud laughter. He’s making a grand show of it, slapping his knees and hitting his thighs before looking back up to Vernage.

“You would think us so cruel, my queen?” His tone makes her blood boil and her skin crawl. The way his eyes still held that _hunger,_ and spelled nothing but danger, she cannot trust this man - this _dragon._

_He may very well be the same one from my dreams…_

“I would think you so bold to ask for help in a kingdom so far from your own that you can easily betray and take as your own. Forgive my curtness, but I cannot bring myself to trust you or your words.”

“Vernage!” She hears her mother from across the room, as the rest of the court falls back to hushes and whispers. But her eyes stay focused on Evolt, as she watches him scan the room, almost as if he’s _studying_ and picking it apart… Her heart shakes.

“I must say, I do appreciate a woman with good sense,” Evolt begins walking closer to Vernage, but she stands her ground. She hears Beverly’s running steps, as Evolt cups Vernage’s cheek before Beverly’s spear is in front of his face, backing him away. He starts to chuckle, and Vernage narrows her eyes again. “There’s an easier way to handle this, my queen. I do believe you’d want to consider the safety of your kingdom at this point.”

“Are you threatening my people?”

“I would much rather do this the easier way, my queen. I don’t _have_ to be threatening your kingdom, but if not given what I want…” He takes a step back, a hand in the air. Vernage is watching him closely, suspicious of his actions. She watches his line of sight, before realizing…

“Mother!” Vernage yells, Pandora staring wildly as they each look towards Evolt. His fingertips are covered in a black aura, almost like the night sky, as he snaps his fingers. A black hole, covered in blue flames, appears above Pandora as she quickly summons a barrier over the court, Vernage, and Beverly. Vernage’s eyes widen as she watches her mother strengthen the barrier to stop the black hole from consuming everyone in the room _but her._ Vernage begins to shake her head, reaching a hand out. “Mother…”

“Vernage, protect them,” Pandora’s voice is stern and firm, the queen and guardian in her coming out one last time. She lifts both her arms up and pushes them forward, sending everyone in the barrier out of the room. Vernage begins to scream, as the sight of her mother and Evolt leave her.  In an instant, blue flames consume the room, a black hole appearing before the entrance, revealing only Evolt.

“Such a pity, but I had warned you, my queen,” Evolt’s voice is thick with malice, snapping his fingers again and the flames are gone. All that was left of the former room were charred remains of curtains and rugs, and her mother’s gold necklace. Evolt spots the necklace, picking it up and smiling at it. “What a beautiful trinket.”

“Let it go,” Vernage’s voice trembles but stays firm. The barrier her mother put up had all but faded now, the summoner now gone and no longer able to maintain it. Tears sting her eyes as her hands begin to glow along with her bangle. Evolt raises his eyes.

“So that’s what it is? You each possess trinkets with powers from the box? The forest? Then is this one still useful?” He holds it up and studies it, and Vernage clenches her fists.

“I said, _let it go!”_ She shouts, a powerful energy wave coming out of her hands and aiming right for Evolt. It pushes him back enough that he drops the necklace, and he manages to stumble. His eyes widen at this, before he starts to laugh again, getting back up to his feet. He goes to reach for the necklace once more, but Vernage is faster, as she swipes her hand and the necklace teleports from its previous location to before her feet. Evolt releases a frustrated hum.

“Very well, _my queen,_ it seems you’ve made your choice,” he snaps his finger once more, another black hole appearing next to him. Only this one, unlike the one from before, held no flames. Inside was nothing but an ink-like darkness that filled her with fear. It moves towards him, swallowing him slowly. “But I shall return - I require the box’s power, after all.”

The black hole leaves nothing behind but an echoing laughter. When the realization hits that he’s really gone, as well as her mother, Vernage falls to her knees.

_Evolt… You will pay for this…_

  
  


Since that day, Vernage had begun the process of strengthening the defenses of her kingdom. Neither she nor the court acknowledged that she was right about her visions all along - she instead chose to focus her efforts on protecting the people. She would ensure that she can keep not only the kingdom safe, but the forest as well. If not, then not just their kingdom - but the world itself would be at doom.

Alongside with the defensive measures, Vernage had worked hard to keep her mother’s memory alive. She made history, deciding to rename not just the kingdom, but the forest itself after her mother. Pandora’s Forest, the Pandora’s Box, and Pandora Kingdom. She felt she owed her mother that much for her sacrifice. Though the citizens were on board with the decision, in fact ecstatic to celebrate a once beloved queen, the court felt Vernage may be too bold and selfish in changing tradition in such a way. But she did not care. It felt _right._

In relation to Pandora’s box itself, Vernage had returned her mother’s necklace to it. It absorbed its former fragment, and accepted Vernage’s prayer of allowing her more power in return. If she’s going to protect her people, she’s going to need to become stronger… It is the only way.

Despite the concerns and the worries of everyone around her, Vernage did not rest. She trained endlessly, realizing that her focus for her magic would be not just on healing, but on offensive energy blasts and being able to manipulate teleportation. She hadn’t realized she could possess such abilities until that day with Evolt, but she put all her concentration on those prospects. She was also able to gain some of her mother’s previous technique after returning the necklace - but they are not as strong in comparison to her mother’s power. It only made sense, after all. A replica can never replace the original.

Vernage lived in anxiety and fear every single day. Walls were built, more guards were hired and trained, and texts from decades ago detailing any information on dragons were studied extensively. She could not take any chances, not as her visions came back night after night, intensifying and more hostile than before. She was able to see the hollow eyes of her people, their burned bodies, and the shambles of her kingdom. She’d awake every night in a panic, worse than her visions before, until she’d feel Beverly stir by her side and trying to pull her back into bed. But she can’t. How could she rest knowing Evolt could return any second, taking everything from her? How could she rest if every time she closed her eyes all she saw was bloodshed and destruction, the fires coming for her next -

“Vernage,” Beverly’s voice is heavy with sleep, as she turns fully to face her beloved. Vernage is doing her best to hide her panic and her fear, not wanting to worry Beverly after catching her awake already. But it’s too late. Beverly is already sitting up, rubbing the sleep away from her eyes as she stares deeply at Vernage. “Did you have another vision?”

“They… keep getting worse,” she admits in a shaken whisper, feeling Beverly wrap her arms around her. She feels a hand being run through her hair as her head is guided to her beloved’s shoulder and she takes deep breaths. To the kingdom and to the people, Vernage was a strong queen who can face any issue head on - but to Beverly, she was _herself,_ and was able to be _human._ “He’s going to come back, he’s going to…”

Vernage feels Beverly tense up. They both know it’s hard to deny these visions anymore, to merely call them nightmares and to shush them away. It’s a difficult thing to console, and Vernage was slowly making her peace with that. She knows that once Evolt is dealt with, these visions and her stress and panic are sure to stop… But she also knows that it’s all the haunting it does her that upsets Beverly. What could she do to help ease Vernage’s pain?

It’s hard to say.

For the time being, at least, Beverly brings Vernage’s face back up and caresses it gently. Her eyes are soft and inviting, as Vernage feels herself being drawn in and capturing her beloved’s lips. Not much can be done, and not much can be said to help calm the storm of paranoia inside Vernage’s heart. It’s a problem no one had anticipated but it is theirs now. And as Beverly takes her time savoring their kiss, her hands slowly exploring Vernage above her robes, she cannot help but sigh into the actions, feeling the fear momentarily slip away. Every touch was electrifying and it helped drive away the dark thoughts from her mind.

“I’ll protect you until the very end,” Beverly says after breaking away from their kiss, trying to hide her labored breathing as she trailed kisses down Vernage’s jaw and neck. “Not just as your knight, not just as my queen; but because you are my love and my life.”

“You really know how to make me weak, don’t you?” Vernage releases a breathless laugh, biting back the noise wanting to crawl out from the back of her throat as Beverly’s kisses trail lower and lower.

“For you, Vernage, I’d do anything,” she whispers between each kiss, interlacing one hand together and letting another to continue to roam. Vernage releases another breathless laugh, melting under the touches and kisses of her beloved.

They might not be able to do much to quell the fear, but they can at least do this for now.

  
  


The visions had become reality.

The walls meant nothing to him, neither did the guards or the magical barriers Vernage had spent _weeks_ putting up all by herself. Her armies had all but been wiped out by the immense power Evolt possessed. Her citizens cried in agony as, in his dragon form, he burned down sections off of her citystate and kingdom. No matter how fast she was, no barrier in the world could stop Evolt’s rampage.

The remaining court and her most loyal knight had instructed Vernage to stay within the castle, to protect Pandora’s box, but she felt so _guilty._ She knew this day was coming for years, and _now_ they want her to do nothing about it? All her careful planning and energy spent to protect her kingdom, it was all _crumbling down_ before her very eyes as Evolt destroyed it bit by bit.

“My queen, my queen, where are you hiding the box?!” Evolt’s voice cuts through the screams and through the city itself. Beverly is already in front of Vernage, both of them knowing she was ready to run out to do _anything_ to stop this madness. The look in Beverly’s eyes were desperate and pleading, but what else did she expect Vernage to do?

“My queen~ The longer you hide, the more your people _suffer!”_ Evolt’s laughter booms throughout the entire kingdom and it shakes Vernage to her core. She knew this was coming, for _years,_ but had never really anticipated the grand scale of destruction a singular dragon could cause.

“Beverly,” Vernage’s voice is low, but she keeps it firm and strong. She had ended up following her mother’s footsteps as queen in the end, knowing which tone to use and when to put herself on the line when needed. “ _Let me through.”_

“I cannot allow that,” Beverly says gravely before raising a hand and then pointing towards the door. Her squad of fellow knights nodded and began to head towards the direction she had indicated. Vernage’s eyes widened, shooting a look at her knight - her _love._

“You mustn’t,” she whispers, but all Beverly can do is offer a sad smile. Before she can stop her, Beverly is already rushing out the door, her fellow knights following behind her and Vernage feels her heart drop to her stomach. She grits her teeth, her bangle suddenly glowing and burning her wrist slightly. One of the advisers of the court starts to approach her, but she puts a hand up to halt him.

Before they all knew it, Vernage had disappeared from the court.

She materializes in her chambers, finding Pandora’s box still sitting safely atop her bureau. She discovers it’s glowing too, as intensely as her bangle. It’s most likely responding to her emotions, and she recognizes that as queen she must act with a more rational head. However, watching the destruction of your home, your people, _your love_ \- rationale be damned, she supposes.

She grabs the box, that too burns her by touch, before teleporting once more.

This time she appears before the forest, panting heavily. She has already formulated a plan, a way to get Evolt away from her people and a way to keep him trapped forever. She hadn’t anticipated the power of his invasion, but she didn’t come prepared. She places the box before the entrance, casting a spell to hide it from sight. With that done, she turns towards her kingdom, seeing even the growing flames from where she stood. It shook her heart and filled her with rage.

She teleports again, this time to Evolt’s location. But she wasn’t prepared for the sight before her. Visions of her dreams come flooding back, sharp and clear, as the reality sets in. Discarded bodies, blood and ruins and flames everywhere, and -

_Spears._

“No,” Vernage mutters as she starts to walk forward, slowly gaining speed before she’s outright sprinting. The more she enters the center of her kingdom’s citystate, the more bloodshed she witnesses, more of the dead, _more destruction._ She has to resist the tears pricking the corner of her eyes, as she runs and runs and runs. More dead bodies, more rubble - is there nothing left? The scent of blood is so thick on the air, mixing with the stench of fire, it’s nauseating as she finally reaches the center, and spots Evolt.

And her heart stops.

Even as a dragon, Vernage can still see a wicked grin painted across his face. In one of his claws, he held onto what appeared to be the lifeless form of her beloved. Her vision begins to shake, looking back up to Evolt directly.

“My queen, so you’ve arrived,” his voice is different, deeper and more sinister than before. He tosses Beverly’s lifeless body towards Vernage, as she watches it tumble and stop before her feet. Vernage drops to the ground, grabbing hold of Beverly and turning her face to see it one last time -

Her once bright yellow eyes are now pale and open in shock, blood running the corner of her mouth. No breath is coming out of her, she’s completely frozen - lost only to the gods now. Vernage runs her hands through her hair, short and _wonderful,_ one last time, before setting her back onto the ground. She gently touches her eyelids, closing them forever.

“Oh my queen, how much more can you bear to lose?” His voice is changing, meaning he’s transforming from his dragon form back to his humanoid guise. She can sense him approaching her, but can’t bring herself to back away or move. She herself feels frozen too, stunned by seeing her visions having come to life. She doesn’t even flinch when Evolt cups her face, just like he did when they first met, and she looks up to him. His eyes are still hungry, dangerous - she _despises_ them. “I warned you before, didn’t I?”

At least his cocky nature is enough to distract him.

She grabs his hand with one of her own, a wide glowing circle appearing beneath them. The circle glows in mixtures of greens and yellow, and Evolt looks confused and _angry._ But Vernage’s grip is tight, even as he shifts it to a claw and slashes at her, she doesn’t let go. The circle soon swallows them up and teleports them to the entrance of the forest. Evolt looks confused for a moment, but then his eyes widen in realization.

“You have the box here, don’t you?”

“I’m going to finish you once and for all, Evolt,” Vernage’s voice has changed now, not recognizing it herself. It sounds like a combination of voices, of previous guardians all merged into one. An intense power flows through her, the burning sensation on her wrist becoming worse, as she stretches her arms out before her. The circle from before appears once more, but in a grander scale, larger than before. Evolt laughs menacingly, transforming back into a dragon.

“Go on my queen, you’ve already lost _everything,_ this will be interesting!” As he finishes his statement, he begins to prepare a stream of blue flames, similar to the ones he’s unleashed onto her kingdom. Vernage sweeps her arms up, summoning forth rays of light to pierce Evolt with. She manages to get a few to hit, redirecting his stream towards the walls of the barrier. He roars out in frustration, flying directly at her now. Only this time, Vernage sweeps her arms towards the right, forcing the rays to come back up and curve, pushing Evolt against the barrier. He collapses to the ground, releasing another roar.

Vernage takes this chance to force her arms down, using the rays to wrap themselves around Evolt and pinning him on the spot. He begins to thrash about, releasing streams of fire that bounce around. His physical strength is formidable, as she struggles to keep a hold of him. She has to be careful to focus, as she summons forth Pandora’s box before her. At the sight of the box, Evolt thrashes more aggressively than before and it breaks Vernage’s concentration. Evolt manages to free himself from the hold and flies back directly towards Vernage.

Thinking fast, she grabs the box and teleports directly behind him. As Evolt realizes and begins to turn around, Vernage begins another spell. But suddenly the wind within the barrier starts to pick up, as she sees Evolt flapping his wings with tremendous force to create powerful winds. Still grasping onto the box with one arm, feeling it burn against her skin, she forces an arm up against the wind, as lights shoot up from below, dispersing the currents of winds. The wind and dust settles, blue flame remnants flicker through the air as Evolt and Vernage stare each other down.

Not wanting to waste another second, Vernage repeats the beginning sweeping gesture of her arms going up, bringing forth the rays of light once more to take Evolt down from the air. He manages to flies past it but Vernage makes a quick left then down gesture, causing not only rays of light but also a section of the barrier to break and fall directly onto Evolt. He falls back onto the ground, momentarily caught under the barrier as Vernage makes a circling gesture to entrap him within the broken barrier. After which, to really ensure his capture, she summons back the rays to wrap around and then pin him down.

With Evolt secured on the ground once more, Vernage holds the box before her, watching it float as its glow grows more and more. With her arms outstretched before her again, she brings one arm back in, and pushes the other back, forcing a ray of light out of the box and towards Evolt. It hits him directly, his roars going from a powerful volume to a descending shout as the light forces him out of his dragon form. Vernage brings her right arm down, forcing the pinned rays to tighten its hold onto Evolt in his humanoid shape.

_This is it._

“I’ve read about you, Evolt,” Vernage approaches him slowly, box still floating before her. Her tone is cold and curt, as she stares down at the trapped dragon. “You’ve fought my ancestors before, seeking this exact power once. It was nearly a century ago, but I found the records.”

“Clever queen,” despite the strain in his voice, he still manages to keep up his mocking bravado. “But I’m sure then that you read you cannot simply kill me.”

“That’s right,” he raises his eyes as she confirms his statement. During this time, she does another gesture of her hand, forcing the light beam on Evolt to grow stronger. He begins to scream in pain almost, and she narrows her eyes. “I may not be able to kill you, but I’ve discovered something else, instead. A different spell to benefit my people.”

“Ha! What people!? I’ve killed them all, and it was _wonderful,”_ he genuinely sounds proud of himself and it makes Vernage _sick._

“To create life, one must offer life in exchange. I’m sure you at least remember the prayers my ancestors have instilled before.”

“Your stupid rituals? Nonsense, really.”

“To you, perhaps,” Vernage keeps the box floating in place, as she begins to step away. “But there’s a reason my family line chooses a guardian of the forest with every generation. The forest shared its power with us - can’t the same be said for it, then?”

“What the hell are you going on about?”

Vernage smiles, watching Evolt with tired eyes. She raises her arm with the bangle around her wrist, revealing severe burn marks and the bangle _still_ glowing.

“We’re going to offer ourselves to the forest - to Pandora’s box - and bring my people back.”

“You’re fucking crazy,” it’s the first time she’s heard such a sinister tone so low, so in disbelief. But she still smiles, before turning back to her burning kingdom in the distance. With her left hand, she gestures to the right and all the flames begin to disperse. She hears a surprised laugh out of Evolt behind her, but she snaps her fingers as she turns back to face him, watching a bolt of light enclose around his mouth.

“Are you ready, Evolt? A new kingdom is about to be restored - I thought this is what you wanted.” She hears muffled shouting from the enclosure but chooses to ignore it. Instead, she faces Pandora’s box, taking a deep breath. She brings her arms in, summoning a similar beam of light from Evolt onto herself. She does her best to resist showing any signs of pain as she begins the prayer.

 

_I Offer My Life_

_In Exchange for Hope_

_So that the Forest May Stay Safe_

 

The circle beneath them starts to diminish in size, closing in to be just underneath them specifically. The mixtures of greens and yellows start to change to a bright white, with small accents of a spectrum shining through every so often. The box and her bangle begin to match these colors, as she feels her energy being drained.

 

_I Offer My Soul_

_In Exchange for Light_

_So that the Forest May Provide_

_A More Hopeful Tomorrow_

 

With the final chants of the prayer said, the light below intensifies and swallows both Evolt and Vernage up entirely. She can hear Evolt scream in agony even through the enclosure, as she watches him get sucked into Pandora’s box.

Yet for her, the pain transcends and feels more like a comforting warmth. The burning pain on her wrist is no longer present and she feels her exhaustion being lifted away. As her vision blurs and begins to fade to white, she releases one final wish.

_Please… Bring my people back… and protect them…_

Within moments, the light is gone, and all that is left behind is the box and a golden bangle.

  
  


A young girl, ever so the curious type, wanders far from home one day. She runs and runs and runs, laughing along the way, wondering where this new adventure will take her. Yet it’s not long before she comes across the forest that neighbors her city, and she stares at it in awe. Her father always told her to stay away, but curiosity and a small voice within her called her in.

She walks deep into the forest, following the voice as if it were calling her name. It’s starting to become darker as she goes in further, yet she can see lights along a path. She follows the lights, suddenly feeling warm and comforted, as she if she’s being embraced by her father.

Before she knows it, she finds a clearing inside the forest, and is excited. She’s never seen anything like it before, so mystical and beautiful. The lights sparkle in the air and in the water, as she hears the same voice from before calling to her once again. Without hesitation, she runs towards the water, dropping to her hands and knees as she stares inside its depths. She smiles at her reflection before grazing the surface with her finger tips, relishing in the feeling of the cool water.

But then she sees it.

Deep within the water, there’s a strong glowing light. She swallows, her mouth suddenly feeling dry as she subconsciously dives in for it.

She swims and swims, trying to reach the light. Something inside of her _tells_ her to reach for it, to _grab_ it. When she gets close enough, she stretches her hand out, feeling the light enclose around her left wrist. She gasps under the water, as a golden bangle suddenly appears, and a box along with it just floating above her. She grabs the box and swims to the surface.

When she reaches up, she gasps for air, placing the box on the edge of the clearing before getting out herself. She stares at the new bangle on her wrist, smiling at how pretty it is. With that same hand, she reaches for the pretty new wooden box that came with it. They both start to glow, and she opens her mouth in surprise as the light engulfs her entirely...

  
  


Misora wakes up, confused by her dream. She slowly sits up, trying not to disturb Sawa next to her, as she stares at her wrist, the golden bangle still on her. Why did she suddenly remember such an early memory? The first time she wandered into the forest, that was so long ago… Yet the feelings of warmth, the voice calling out to her, diving into the water reaching for the light - it still all felt like it was _yesterday._ She starts to trace the bangle, feeling a weird sense of familiarity from it; this happens every so often, and she could never quite place the feeling. The closest she could describe to it were as if she’s had it longer than when she was a child...

She sighs and lays back down, facing Sawa. She’s fast asleep, peaceful and calm and beautiful. Misora feels her heart skip a beat before a flash of another memory, one she can’t really seem to actually recall, of another time - of another place. She remembers this feeling, laying next to someone she loved, sharing this exact moment of peace and comfort. She can almost place a name - and then it’s gone. She’s staring back at Sawa, and not someone who looks _vaguely_ like her.

Misora shakes her head and attributes it to lack of sleep. The last few days have been nothing but stressful for them all, and rest is what they all need. She’ll worry about silly little dreams and sudden memories in the morning. At least for right now, they’re safe and peaceful, and she wants to hold onto that feeling.

That feeling of peaceful familiarity.

**Author's Note:**

> can you believe we're almost half way thro this AU bc honestly I can't but I'm genuinely so grateful for all the support i've gotten from since the beginning to now. thank you so much I really mean it.
> 
> vernage is a mega lesbian
> 
> talk to me twitter/mythxl


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